Unified Helicopter Vibration Control via Coordinated Actuation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current vibration control systems in rotorcraft often face inefficiencies and instability when multiple independent control systems operate simultaneously, leading to increased vibrations and noise due to lack of interdependent influence awareness, resulting in suboptimal control commands and potential instability.
Innovation Solution
A vibration control system that includes sensors, integrated actuators, and a unified controller capable of receiving and processing information from various actuators to generate optimal control commands, minimizing power consumption and reducing vibrations by accounting for interdependent influences between actuators, and utilizing a transfer function to stabilize the system.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If multiple independent vibration control systems operate simultaneously, then each system can control its own vibrations, but the systems create interdependent influences that increase overall vibrations and noise
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple independent vibration control systems into a unified system where a single controller coordinates all actuators. The controller receives vibration signals and computes control commands that account for interdependent influences between actuators, preventing the harmful interference that occurs when systems operate independently.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses feedback from vibration sensors to continuously monitor the actual vibration levels and adjust control commands accordingly. The controller computes optimal control signals based on measured vibrations and the known transfer functions of actuators, creating a closed-loop system that reduces overall vibrations and noise.
2Device complexity
If multiple independent control systems operate without coordination, then system complexity is reduced, but control precision and stability deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of maintaining multiple independent control loops, the patent merges them into a single coordinated control system. The unified controller computes control commands that consider the interdependent influences of all actuators, achieving higher control precision while managing complexity through a centralized approach.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically computes control commands based on real-time vibration measurements and the known transfer functions of actuators. The controller adapts its control strategy to account for varying operating conditions and interdependent actuator influences, maintaining optimal control accuracy across different flight conditions.
3Reliability
If unified control is implemented to account for interdependent influences, then vibration suppression improves, but computational complexity and processing requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system pre-computes and stores transfer functions that characterize the influence of each actuator on vibration measurements. These transfer functions are determined beforehand and used by the controller to quickly compute optimal control commands without requiring complex real-time calculations of interdependent influences.
Solution Approach 2:
The controller uses feedback from vibration sensors combined with pre-computed transfer functions to efficiently compute control commands. The feedback loop continuously adjusts control signals based on measured vibrations, achieving effective suppression while managing computational complexity through the use of pre-characterized system dynamics.
Data Source
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AI summary
A vibration control system 200 for a rotorcraft 100 includes at least one of an integrated actuator 208 and an intermediate actuator 210 associated with a first source of vibration, a sensor configured to sense vibration from the first source of vibration, a dedicated actuator 212 configured for association with a fuselage 106, and a controller 204 configured to receive information from the sensor and configured to control the dedicated actuator and the at least one of the integrated actuator and the intermediate actuator.